Method and apparatus for creating colloidal atomizations



Feb. 25, 1930. J. E. SHEPHERD 1,748,248

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CREATING COLLOIDAL ATOMIZATIONS Filed Jan. 8,1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 25, 1930. J. E. SHEPHERD METHOD AND APPARATUSFOR CREATING COLLOIDAL .ATOMIZATIONS 2 Sheets-Shea Filed Jan. 8, 19.25

INVENTOR Jbkrz EJfie oher BY Pa W ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 25, 1930 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN E. SHEPHERD, OF GHAIRLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA,ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL COLD STEAM COMPANY, OF CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA, ACORPORATION OF DELA- WARE METHOD AND AIPARATUS FOR CREATING COLLOIDALATOMIZATIONS Application filed January My present invention relates toan improvement in atomizing devices, such as are utilized for creating afine mist-like spray, and in some respects the apparatus hereindisclosed is similar to a pending application Se rial No. 677 ,964 filedDec. 1, 1923, entitled Apparatus and method for agricultural spraying,and pending application Serial No. 683,515 filed Dec. 29,1923, both ofsaid applications being in the names of John E. Shepherd and Edwin K.OBrien.

More particularly, however, my device relates to an improved method,including apparatus, whereby I am enabled by means of the same to createan extremely fine mist by the use of the heat energy contained in a gaswhich has been made from a liquid by boiling said liquid, such as steamfor example, and the pressure of such gas at a temperature which isunder control. This steam or other vapor is developed at a temperaturesufficient to supply the heat energy and gas pressure necessary to givesuch motion to the constituent particles of the material to be atomizedas will convert such material into a mist of any desired fineness ofsubdivision after it leaves the orifice of the device; and such gaspressure being also suiiicient to'project the atomized material to theplace of desired application. By the passage of the steam or other gasthrough a certain sequence or parts of the device hereinafter to be morespecifi; cally outlined, it is made to create a partial vacuum incertain parts of-the device, into which parts the material to beatomized flows from a source of supply under induction action. The saidsteam and the said material 8, 1925, Serial No. 1,173.

short distance from the orifice. The steam pressure ejects the materialfrom the orifice to the desired point of application. The heat energyimparted to a liquid which causes it to be gasified, the vapor pressuregenerated by this heated gas, and the arrangement of the several partsof the device, acting together under control, cause a spray material tobe sucked into the device, cause the spray material to absorb a desiredquantity of heat energy and cause it to issue from the device in suchmanner and with such energy content and at such speed as to set up aninternal motion of its constituent particles rapid enough to convert thespray material into a mist after it issues from the orifice, the saidmist being made so fine that it floats in the air like a smoke cloud.This mist is projected to and deposited on the plants, trees, etc.,without undue momentum and in such a manner as to completely envelop theobject in a mist or any desired fineness of subdivision, therebycovering all portions of the object thus ex posed.

One of the distinct advantages of this form 3 forms of spray apparatuswere utilized for i this purpose that the mere mechanical breal ing upof the spraying material by any form of pressure from behind createdmerely small globules of the spray mixture and the impact of theseglobules upon the calyx of the open fruit flower or blossom not onlyinjured the blossom but in many instances gave rise to a distortedfruit.

In my present apparatus the mist is so impalpably fine and of such atrue colloidal nature that it will float for long distances beforesettling, unless interfered with in its flight. In actual practice, thisfine colloidal mist is created at sufficient height from the ground toenable it to float freely and gently through an orchard whereby to coateverything that it comes in contact with without force and thereforewithout disruptive efiect on the fruit flowers or the component parts ofsaid flowers, at the same time coating to the desired extent andcreating the desired results without any disturbance of the naturalcondition of the trees in any shape or form whatsoever.

Another advantage of my device more particularly relates to the form ofnozzle which I have adapted for this purpose and the sequence ofexpansions and velocity increasing means whereby they are coordinatedwith the natural expansibility and heat content of steam itself tocreate the desired colloidal form of mist or spray.

Another advantage of my device relates to the means whereby in certainforms of spray, such as the treatment of cotton for boll weevil, it maybecome desirable to split a stream of issuing colloidal means into twostreams at a point below the foliage of said cotton plants so that anozzlebrought up between rows of cotton will simultaneously treatopposite rows and the under sides of the leaves of the plant with themist treatment thereby acting withgreater efiiciency than heretoforeaccomplished and lessening the cost of the application of the spray.

These and other capabilities will be fully disclosed as the hereinspecification proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is an elevational view, somewhatdiagrammatic of my apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the nozzle taken on the line 22 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the nozzle Fig. 4 is a front View of thenozzle;

Figs. 5 to 7 are partial sectional views of modified jet nozzledistributors;

Figs. 8 and 9 are side elevations of other forms of distributors; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view of one form of nozzle to illustrate thedistributing features thereof.

In Fig. 1 I have shown a simplified form of apparatus which is outlinedas follows:

- 1 represents a steam boiler, hand fired or otherwise; 2 and 3 arematerial tanks for carrying a plurality of any desired form of spraymaterial; 4: represents my new form of nozzle which has preferably twopoints of attachment, namely 5 representing a steam hose which isconnected to a valved pipe connection 6, the valve 7 of which controlsthe amount of steam issuing from the nozzle 4, and obviously a controlvalve such as 7 may also be located conveniently to the nozzle 4-. Thesecond connection 8 is connected up to a duct 9 which in turn connectsthe material tanks 2 and 3 respectively, the said duct being under thecontrol of valves 10 and 11 in order to supply either one or the othermix ture or both in combination, as desired, and obviously a controlvalve for the mixture passing through the duct 9 may be locatedconveniently to the nozzle 4. While it is within the possibilities thatthis set may have to be portable in certain forms masses of use, thisparticular feature is more or less illustrated by a truck generallydenoted by 12 upon which the boiler 1 and tanks 2 and 3 are mounted,said truck being provided with wheels 13 so that the apparatus may bemoved from place to place. In actual practice, the apparatus may bemounted upon any suitable vehicle and move up and down the rows of treesor plants for spray purposes.

In Fig. 2 which is a sectional view of one form of my atomizing nozzleand which is taken on line 22, Fig. 3, there is shown the steam duct 5and the material duct 9 connected to the body of the nozzle generallydenoted by 4 and which in the present instance is made up of a series ofparts which will now be described.

The body or casing of the nozzle comprises an annular mid portionforming a chamber A for receiving fluid, the casing having a boss B atits rear end and a smaller boss O at its front end, both of which arethreaded or otherwise arranged to engage with coacting parts. The boss Bis shown in threaded en.- gagement with a steam jet nozzle D the chamberor interior of which is tapered inwardly to the reduced or constrictedportion 15 and is then flared outwardly to the outlet end of the chamberwhere it communicates with the chamber A, the nozzle being connected atits rear end to the steam duct 5.

The forward boss C is threaded to receive the jet nozzle E the chamberor interior of which communicates at its intake end with the chamber Aand tapers inwardly from its intake end to the reduced or constrictedportion 16 from which it flares outwardly and is extended as a straightportion of the interior to the discharge end thereof, the beforementioned portions of the interiors of the nozzles D and E constitutingsubstantially alined venturi spaced apart by a passage from the chamherA communicating with the space or chamber formed between the outwardlyflared end of the interior of the nozzle D and the inwardly tapered-endof the interior of the nozzle E.

In practice, and according to requirements, any one of a number ofdifferent jet ends F may be applied to the end of the nozzle E, de-

Mia

the manner characteristic of this type of noz-.

zle.

In Fig. 7, there is shown a modification of this type in which thenozzle F is provided with a cone-shaped deflector J which also causesanother formation of spray head and in Fig. 5 is shown a modified formwhich is turned partly out of plane in order to show the Y-shapeddistributor K which comprises an interior straight deflecting portion Lhaving two divergent wmgs M and N which are enabling treatment on tworows of close growing plants to be effectively operated.

In Fig. 8, there is shown a nozzle jet end such as F having securedthereto the frame 21 provided across its outer end with the V-shapedb'aflie member 22 spaced away somewhat from the jet end and carriedthereby for deflecting the mixture of material and steam discharged-fromthe jet end F.

In Fig. 9, there is shown a frame 23 adapted to be secured to a nozzlejet end such as F (Fig. 8) proyided at its outer end with thereticulated or gauze member 24 spaced away somewhat from the jet end andcarried thereby through which the mixture of material and steamdischarged from the jet end F passes.

Reverting to Fig. 1, steam may be created in a boiler 1 and upon therise of pressure to a desired point, and upon filling the materialcontainers with two different types of desired spray mixture, the steamis turned on at the valve 7 and the nozzle is directed, according to thedirection of the wind, either straight up or at the plant growthdesired. to be treated. The ducts 5 and 9 being of flexible materialsuch as flexible metallic steam hose, the nozzle may be manually ormechanically manipulated in any desired manner for creating the besteffect and upon issuing of steam from the jet nozzle E, the materialbeing turned on from either one or both of the tanks 2 or 3, the steam,passing forwardly of the direction of the arrows 17 in Fig. 2, isconstricted by the reduced portion 15 of the induction nozzle D and dueto induction action, through expansion of the steam in the interrior ofthe nozzle E near the communication of the chamber A with the interiorof the nozzle E a partial vacuum is created in the chamber A and this inturn reacts upon the duct 9 causing a flow of the spray material fromthe tanks 23-in the direction of the arrow 18'. At the meeting point ofsteam and material about at the plane of the discharge end of.

the nozzle D. the steam expands at high. velocity, is suddenlyconstricted by the abruptly flaring portion 18 and the reduced portion16 of the interior of the nozzle E, flows into the expansion chamber 0of the nozzle E and exerts a suction action to draw up the material 7and due to its increased velocity, a thorough admixture and atomizationof the steam and incoming spray material is effected at this point, theheat of the steam is communicated to the spray material, andthe.combined material not yet atomized is thereafter passed out throughthe jet nozzle E at its discharge end P and expanding as indicated bythe arrows 19 causes complete colloidal emulsification of the moiststeam and the volume of spray material and at this point the highlydivided smoke-like mist expands with a greatdisruptive velocity, becomesrapidly cool and passes off to atmosphere there to'be precipitated uponplant growth and perform its desired work.

The wall of the expansion chamber 0 is provided with a helical rib 0 oflong pitch for imparting a whirling motion to the mixture of steam andspray material.

It will therefore be noted from the foregoing description that I haveprovided in the present form of spray head, a series of velocityincreasing means for the steam and material stream and a plurality ofexpansion actions succeeding each velocity increase, and while I haveherein only shown two such nozzles and expansions, it is understood thata sequence of these of three or more may be provided. I have found, inactual practice, however, that two steps of velocity increasing andexpansion stages are sufficient for my purpose, and that in the presentform the nozzle is economical in manufacture and extremely efficient inin operation.

The form of jet nozzle as. indicated by Figs. 5 to 9 inclusive does notaffect the colloidal action due to the disruptive expansion of the steamin the final stage of expansion as the mechanical diverting bafiiestherein shown have no appreciable effect upon the structure of the mistbut only upon the form of tllie spray cloud at and adjacent to the nozze.

In every instance, as is illustrated in view expansion of the steam andits commingled spray material tends to expand in a globular form throughthe instantaneous expansion of the steam and heated material, and thisis more or less indicated by the zone of the dotted line 20 containingarrows which indicate the spray action. Arsenical compounds or othersubstances which when applied by any of the usual methods scald or burnthe foliage of the plants or trees, when applied by my method, probablyon account of highly colloidal state of the admixture of moist fluid(steam) with the arsen'ical compound or other substance, do not havethis scalding or burning effect.

Having thus described my invention it should be understood that theremay be modiforward end and a duct therethrough having an intermediateconstricted portion and a fore ward portion rearwardly tapering towardthe restricted portion; a jet nozzle just forward the induction nozzleadapted to discharge a blast of mist directly therefrom and having apassage passing therethrough alined with said duct and provided with aconstricted intermediate portion, an abruptly flaring rear end portionhaving outer and inner diameters respectively larger and smaller thanthe forward diameter of said duct, and a forwardly flaring portion ustforward of the restricted portion; and means forming an annular chamberaround said pointed end and rear end portion and a material duct forsupplying material to the chamber.

2. An apparatus for spraying rows of vege-- violently projecting saidmist; and dividing the projected mist into isolated divergent streams,thespace between the streams being kept free of mist, whereby thestreams of mist are projected on said rows of. vegetation at the sametime without presence of any of the streams between said rows.

4. A spraying apparatus comprisingmeans for producing a high velocitystream of gaseous fluid; means for constricting the stream forincreasing the velocity of said stream; means for expandlng anddiverging said stream beyond the constriction; means for enclosing thespace around the expanding stream and supplying liquid to said space,whereby the stream creates an induction and partial vacuum in said spacefor drawing the liquid into the space, the expansion of the streamcausing the liquid to be drawn into the stream; means for violentlyjarring. the outer portion of the expanded stream and liquid therein todisrupt and atomize the liquid;

means for abruptly constricting the expanding stream, therebycausmg theparticles of liquid to be intimately pressed against the particles ofsaid fluid; and means for again expanding the stream after it has beenconstricted, thereby to cause the sudden expansion of the particles ofsaid fluid, thereby caus ing a violent disruption and atomization of theli aid to form smokelike mist,

5. spraying apparatuslcomprising, an induction nozzle having aductjtherethrough having; anintermediate constricted portion and arearwardly'tapering-portion forward of the restriction; the rearwardlytaperin portion serving to expand the stream an discharge it therefromin diver ed form; a jet nozzle having a. passage t erethrough alinedwith said duct and provided with a constricted portion near the, rearend and an abruptly flaring rear abutment face near 6. A sprayingapparatus comprising, an..-

induction nozzle having a duct therethrough having a rearwardly taperingforward portion serving to expand the stream and discharge it therefromin diverged form; a jet nozzle having a passage therethrough alined withsaid duct and provided with a constricted portion near the rear end andan abruptly flaring rear abutment face near the forward end of saidrearwardly tapered portion and having an inner diameter smaller thansaid forward end and an outer diameter larger than that of said forwardend; and a liquid supply chamber around said pointed end and abutmentface and duct for supplying liquid to the chamber.

7. A spraying apparatus comprising, an induction nozzle having a ducttherethrough having an intermediate constricted portion and a rearwardlytapering portion forward of the restriction; the rearwardly taperingportionserving to expand the stream and discharge it therefrom indiverged form; a jet nozzle having a passage therethrough alined withsaid duct and provided with a constricted portion near the rear end andan abruptly flaring rear abutment face near the forward-end of saidrearwardly tapered portion and having an inner diameter smaller thansaid forward end and an outer diameter larger than that of said forwardend; and a liquid supply chamber around said pointed end and abutmentface and duct for supplying liquid to the chamber; said stream creatingan induction whereby liquid is drawn into the chamber and stream; theexpansion of the stream causing the liquid to draw into the outerportion of the stream, thereby to be expanded and disrupted by theexpanding stream and then dashed violently against the abutment facethereby to further disrupt and atomize the liquid as it is drawn intothe expanding stream, to produce a finely divided intimate mixture; saidabruptly flaring and constricted portion again converging the stream,causing the atomized particles of 8. A spraying apparatus comprisingmeans for projecting a high velocity mist including a jet nozzle forprojecting said mist; and means forward of the jet nozzle for dividingsaid mist into isolated divergent streams while keeping free of mist thespace between the streams.

9. A spraying method comprising forming and liberating a high velocitymist and violently projecting said mist; and dividing the projected mistinto isolated divergent streams; the space between the streams beingkept free of mist.

10. A spraying method comprising producing a hi h velocity stream ofgaseous fluid; constricting the stream for increasing the velocity ofsaid stream; then expanding and diverging said stream beyond theconstriction; enclosing the space around the expanding stream andsupplying liquid to said space, whereby, the stream creates an inductionand partial vacuum in said space for drawing the liquid into the space,the expansion of the stream causing the liquid to be drawn into thestream; violently jarring the expanded stream and liquid therein todisrupt and atomize the liquid; abruptly constricting the expandingstream, thereby causing the particles of liquid to be intimate- 1ypressed against the particles of said fluid; again expanding the streamafter it has been constricted, thereby to cause the sudden expansion ofthe particles of said fluid, thereby causing a violent disruption andatomization of the liquid to form smoke-like mist.

Signed at Cliarlottesville in the county of Albemarle and State ofVirginia this fifth day of January, A. D. 1925.

' JQHN E. SHEPHERD.

